UGC Issues Clarification For Assistant Professor Recruitment: NET, SET, SLET Not Necessary for PhD Holders

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued further clarification regarding the revised minimum criteria for direct recruitment to the position of assistant professor in universities and colleges. This clarification comes in response to the previous announcement made by the UGC on July 5. Previously, the UGC had stated that the National Eligibility Test (NET), State Eligibility Test (SET), and State Level Eligibility Test (SLET) would serve as the minimum qualifications for individuals aspiring to become Assistant Professors in higher education institutions.

M Jagadesh Kumar, the Chairperson of UGC, has now provided additional clarity on this matter through a tweet. In his tweet, he emphasized that the mandatory requirement of a PhD for direct recruitment at the Assistant Professor level has been eliminated. He further explained that candidates with a PhD are not obligated to take the UGC-NET/SLET/SET exams for this position. His tweet stated, "For those with a Master's degree, UGC-NET/SLET/SET is the minimum requirement for direct recruitment as an Assistant Professor, and (2) Ph.D. degree holders, awarded as per UGC Regulations, are eligible for direct recruitment to the post of Assistant Professor and are exempted from UGC-NET/SLET/SET. Depending on the number of applications received in a given discipline, HEIs can use suitable criteria given in the regulations for appointment at the Assistant Professor level."

After removing the mandatory PhD requirement for direct recruitment at the Assistant Professor level, the detailed eligibility criteria outlined in the UGC minimum qualifications regulations 2018 will remain unchanged. This means that the following two criteria will be applicable: [quote from tweet missing]

This decision aims to grant institutions the autonomy to make informed decisions based on their specific needs and requirements. The UGC has introduced an alternative qualifying pathway for assistant professorships, which no longer necessitates the NET/SET examination. Candidates holding a PhD from an accredited institution will now be eligible for the position of Assistant Professor without the need to pass the UGC NET/SET exams. It is important to note that prior to July 2023, a PhD was not a prerequisite for direct recruitment as an assistant professor. The UGC extended the deadline for implementing the PhD requirement to July 1, 2023, from the initial deadline of July 1, 2021, to allow institutions more time to adjust their recruitment processes accordingly.